- Breyten Breytenbach, writer who challenged apartheid, dies at 85
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- Salah wants Liverpool to pile on misery for Man City after sinking Saints
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- Lille condemn Sampaoli to defeat on Rennes debut
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- IPL auction records tumble as Pant, Iyer break $3 mn mark
- Salah sends Liverpool eight points clear after Southampton scare
- Key Trump pick calls for end to escalation in Ukraine
- Tuipulotu try helps Scotland end Australia's bid for a Grand Slam
- Davis Cup organisers hit back at critics of Nadal retirement ceremony
- Noel in a 'league of his own' as he wins Gurgl slalom
- A dip or deeper decline? Guardiola seeks response to Man City slump
- Germany goes nuts for viral pistachio chocolate
- EU urges immediate halt to Israel-Hezbollah war
- Far right targets breakthrough in Romania presidential vote
- Basel votes to stump up bucks to host Eurovision
- Ukraine shows fragments of new Russian missile after 'Oreshnik' strike
- IPL auction records tumble as Pant and Iyer snapped up
- Six face trial in Paris for blackmailing Paul Pogba
- Olympic champion An wins China crown in style
- It's party time for Las Vegas victor Russell on 'dream weekend'
- Former Masters champion Reed seals dominant Hong Kong Open win
- Norris applauds 'deserved' champion Verstappen
- Jaiswal and Kohli slam centuries as Australia stare at defeat
- Kohli blasts century as India declare against Australia
- Verstappen 'never thought' he'd win four world titles
- Former Masters champion Reed wins Hong Kong Open
- Awesome foursomes: Formula One's exclusive club of four-time world champions
- Smylie beats 'idol' Cameron Smith to win Australian PGA Championship
- Five key races in Max Verstappen's 2024 title season
- Max Verstappen: Young, gifted and single-minded four-time F1 champion
- 'Star is born': From homeless to Test hero for India's Jaiswal
- Verstappen wins fourth consecutive Formula One world title
- Survivors, sniffing dogs join anti-mine march at Cambodia's Angkor Wat
- Far right eye breakthrough in Romania presidential vote
- Jaiswal slams majestic 161 but Australia fight back in Perth
- Edinburgh's alternative tour guides show 'more real' side of city
- IPL teams set to splash the cash at 'mega-auction' in Saudi Arabia
- Olympics in India a 'dream' facing many hurdles
- Wounded Bangladesh protesters receive robotic helping hand
- Majestic Jaiswal 141 not out as India pile pain on Australia
- Giannis, Lillard lead Bucks over Hornets as Spurs beat Warriors
- Juan Mata agent slammed as 'cowardly' by angry A-League coach
- Marta inspires Orlando Pride to NWSL title
- Palestinian pottery sees revival in war-ravaged Gaza
- Main points of the $300 billion climate deal
- Robertson wants policy change for overseas-based All Blacks
Murray roars into round two as Medvedev sets up Kyrgios clash
Former world number one Andy Murray turned back the clock in typically combative style and favourite Daniil Medvedev set up a blockbuster second-round showdown with Nick Kyrgios at the Australian Open on Tuesday.
In the women's draw, top-10 seeds Garbine Muguruza, Iga Swiatek and Anett Kontaveit all made comfortable starts to their Melbourne title charges, while Simona Halep and Aryna Sabalenka also won despite struggling with their serves.
Emma Raducanu, the US Open champion, was also victorious on her tournament debut but there was defeat at the first hurdle for her fellow 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez -- the woman Raducanu beat in the Flushing Meadows decider.
Canada's Fernandez, the 23rd seed, went down 6-4, 6-2 to Australian wildcard Maddison Inglis, to the delight of the home crowd.
After Sunday's deportation of men's defending champion and top seed Novak Djokovic, the first Grand Slam of the year is now in full swing and many are eager to move on from the visa saga.
That is easier said than done and Tennis Australia (TA), organisers of the so-called "Happy Slam", said in a statement Tuesday that they "deeply regret the impact" it has had on the other players.
"As the Australian tennis family, we recognise that recent events have been a significant distraction for everyone," TA said, without mentioning Djokovic by name.
- 'Couldn't ask for more' -
If it has been a distraction for Murray, he did not show it.
The 34-year-old, there as a wildcard, showed all the fighting qualities that made him a three-time Grand Slam champion.
His epic five-set victory over 21st seed Nikoloz Basilashvili was hugely symbolic -- the Briton departed Melbourne Park in 2019 not knowing if he would ever be back because of hip trouble.
But here he was, rolling back the years and heading into round two.
"It's amazing to be back and winning a five-set battle like that, I couldn't ask for any more," said Murray.
There was no such problem for Russia's Medvedev, the second seed and favourite to lift his second major, who made light work of 91st-ranked Henri Laaksonen on Rod Laver Arena, dismantling the Swiss 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3).
With Djokovic out of the picture and Roger Federer not in Melbourne because of injury, the draw has opened up for the 25-year-old Medvedev and Spanish great Rafael Nadal.
Medvedev, who lost last year's final in Melbourne to Djokovic but then beat the Serbian in the US Open final in September, plays combustible but talented Australian showman Kyrgios in round two.
Another of the "Next Gen" young talents challenging the "Big Three" of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer is Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas.
The fourth seed was a comfortable winner in three sets over practice partner Mikael Ymer to get his tournament up and running.
- Raducanu thrives -
In the women's draw, Spanish world number three Muguruza, a finalist at Melbourne Park two years ago, eased past 77th-ranked Frenchwoman Clara Burel 6-3, 6-4.
There was also little trouble for Kontaveit, despite some early nerves, and Swiatek, but Romania's Halep was far from comfortable.
The former number one laboured into round two 6-4, 6-3 after an error-strewn clash with Poland's Magdalena Frech which saw 11 service breaks.
Second seed Sabalenka, who was reduced to tears and serving underarm in a disastrous lead-up to Melbourne, had Mark Philippoussis to thank after she revealed the Australian former world number eight helped iron out some of her serving problems.
She was far from perfect on her serve but survived to beat Storm Sanders 5-7, 6-3, 6-2.
In the last action of the day, Raducanu ousted the American Sloane Stephens -- a former US Open champion -- 6-0, 2-6, 6-1 in a performance that will make the Briton's rivals sit up and take notice.
J.Fankhauser--BTB